The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Wesviolet.
The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany. The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the Calibrachoa cultivar Carillon Blue, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Calibrachoa cultivar Million Bells, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa was selected by the Inventor in September, 1998 on the basis of its large flowers.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Wesviolet have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somehwat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Wesvioletxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Wesvioletxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Cascading habit, rounded and spherical plant shape.
2. Freely and continuous branching.
3. Small, narrow, dark green leaves.
4. Moderate to vigorous growth habit.
5. Flowers do not close with low light levels or at night.
6. Numerous reddish purple-colored flowers.
7. Good weather tolerance.
Plants of the cultivar Wesviolet is most similar to the female parent, the cultivar Carillon Blue. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Sudlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the cultivar Wesviolet and the cultivar Carillon Blue differ in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely branching than plants of the cultivar Carillon Blue.
2; Plants of the new Calibrachoa have smaller and narrower leaves than plants of the cultivar Carillon Blue.
3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have shorter petioles and peduncles than plants of the cultivar Carillon Blue.
4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Carillon Blue.
5. Petals of the new Calibrachoa have cuspidate apices whereas petals of the cultivar Carillon Blue have emarginate apices.
6. Flowers of the new Calibrachoa do not close under low light conditions or at night whereas flowers of the cultivar Carillon Blue close under low light conditions and at night.